Connectivity and External Differences

On the outside, the third generation Apple TV and below, but also the 4th generation models and above can be easily confused. While it’s true that they have the same footprint, the latest iteration is about 1/3 lbs heavier and about half an inch taller than the third generation Apple TV.

In terms of connectivity, the third and fourth generation Apple TVs are quite different. Whether the fourth generation is better than the third one or vice versa in this regard is all up to you.

Both generations feature a 10/100 Base-T Ethernet port and a power connect. However, in all other aspects they do vary.

3rd generation Apple TV: This Apple TV iteration features a Micro USB port, an optical out audio port, and an HDMI port. It also features support for Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound and 802.11a/b/g/n wireless.

4th generation Apple TV: Compared to the previous generation, the 4th generation Apple TV features a USB-C port and an HDMI port version 1.4. While you don’t get an optical audio out port, you do get 802.11AC Wi-Fi capability (MIMO). The latest Apple TV model also supports Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.

Remote Differences

While it’s true that both Apple TVs (3rd and 4th gen) support remotes, the fourth generation is a lot more advanced.

3rd generation: The third gen Apple TV remote is silver and features dedicated Play/Pause, Menu, and directional key buttons.

4th generation: The 4th gen Apple TV remote is made of aluminum and comes in black. It sports a lot of features, including dedicated buttons for Siri, Play/Pause, Up/Down, Home, Menu, but also a gyroscope, an internal accelerometer, a Glass Touch surface (which is great for directional control) , but also features 2 microphones. Thanks to Siri Voice Command, you can control your Apple TV by issuing voice commands.

It’s true that the Apple TV 4th gen remote is a lot more advanced and comes with great features, but its build quality is not that great. On top of that, it now comes with rechargeable batteries that will last you months, instead of years as it was the case with previous generation Apple TV remotes. The remote also supports 3rd party controllers which may potentially open productivity and gaming possibilities.

Identification Differences

If you put them next to each other, the third and fourth generation Apple TVs are easy to differentiate. On the other hand, there are 2 third generation iterations, and the second generation of the Apple TV looks visually the same as the third generation. Because of that, identifying them by looks alone is not feasible.

To better identify what generation your Apple TV is, you need to check their EMC and Model Number. You can check these by turning the Apple TV upside down checking the small text there.

Internal Differences

If we are to compare the hardware of the third and fourth generation Apple TV, then you’ll see there are many differences between them. For example, the Apple TV third generation features a twenty eight nanometer Apple A5 CPU (single core), 8GB of storage (flash), and 512MB RAM.

The fourth generation on the other hand features a twenty nanometer A8 CPU (dual core), between 32GB and 64GB of storage (flash), and 2GB of RAM.

While the 4th generation does have much faster and newer hardware than the previous generation, both of them do not yet support 4K video.

Software Differences

Both Apple TV generations are based on the iOS platform, but at the same time they run on different OS.

The Apple TV third generation features the 5.1 Apple TV version which offers support for selective application-like functionality and built-in channels.

The Apple TV fourth generation runs on the tvOS which allows you to connect to an app store and use fully fledged apps.

While Apple is dedicated to updating its products and software for the Apple TV third generation, we can safely assume that they won’t be doing so much longer. After all, they’re currently focused on the tvOS and working hard towards improving it.

The post What generation is my Apple tv? appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Power up

Instead of a USB port, the Siri remote features a Lightning port. It also comes with a Lightning to USB cable for charging purposes. According to Apple, the new rechargeable battery in its remote can last for months on a single charge (with normal use). While this is significantly less than the battery life touted by its past remotes that used regular apple tv remote batteries, it does help save you a trip to the local electronics store to get new batteries.

No LED battery life indicator

As we’ve gotten used by Apple, there’s no LED light to notify you about how much power is left in the battery. So instead of waiting for the batteries for apple tv remote to drain, is there another way you could check how much power you have left and how long you can use the remote until you need to replace the batteries? Well, the good news is that you can actually do that.

Charging the remote

If your apple tv remote control stopped working, then you should charge it. However, if your remote control still works, then you should turn on your Apple TV and then go to Settings.

Once you’re there, navigate to Removes and devices and then click on Bluetooth. At this point, you’ll see every Bluetooth device connected to your machine. By default, the only Bluetooth connected device is the Apple TV remote.

Other Bluetooth connected devices

If you have other connected devices (such as game controllers) or remote controls, you’ll also see them displayed in this screen.

It’s here that you can finally check the apple tv remote battery life. You’ll see it displayed as an icon at the right side of its name. While the amount of power left in the batteries is not displayed in a percentage amount, the visual representation should at least give you an idea of how long you can use the remote before you need to recharge it.

The new 4th Generation Apple TV remote may not provide the same batter life as past Apple remotes, but thanks to the new design change it’s thinner, lighter and easier to use. On top of that, it can also save you a trip to the store to get new batteries. While you may not appreciate that now, you will once you have to go out on a cold, rainy or snowy day just to get a new set of batteries for your apple tv remote.

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However, if you jailbreak apple tv, then that’s a different story. After you’ve jailbroken your Apple TV, you can proceed to install a wide range of systems, services, and applications on it that make it a lot more appealing even than the latest Apple TV.

Should you jailbreak your Apple TV?

While generally people are interested to know whether they should jailbreak their iPhone (there are many pros and cons to doing that), there are significantly less cons to jailbreaking your Apple TV. As for the pros, there are more than you can imagine.

Here are some of the most popular apps you can install once you’ve jailbroken your Apple TV:

aTV Flash (black): What makes this app great is the fact by that using it you can actually play a wide range of video format on your Apple TV. One example is the popular .mkv format. You can also use unofficial applications and also browse the internet.

Kodi: Kodi is an entertainment hub that allows you to mostly play podcasts, videos, and music. It also enables PVR functionality, meaning that on top of watching TV, you can also record your favorite shows, etc.

Jailbreaking your Apple TV

One of first things you need to know if you want to jailbreak apple tv is that you need to have the right model. If you do, then jailbreaking it is very simple. For instance, if you have the first generation Apple TV, you can jailbreak it by using Rowmote. The second generation is also easy to jailbreak, but we’ll cover more about that below.

Now, if you have an Apple TV 2nd generation and want to jailbreak it, here is how you can do it:

Those lucky owners if a 2nd Generation Apple TV should be happy, since they can actually jailbreak it. To do this, you first of all need to go online and look for Seas0nPass. We recommend you get the tools from the FireCore website. Once you get the tools, you have to follow the steps below:

1. Unrar the software and copy it to your Applications folder.
2. Get a micro USB cable and connect your Mac to your Apple TV.
3. Launch the jailbreaking software and then click on Create IPSW.
4. When prompted, you need to press the Menu and Play buttons on the Apple TV’s remote control. You should press the buttons simultaneously.
5. Once the software does its thing, you need to click on Done.
6. Lastly, all you have to do is unplug the USB cable and get an HDMI which you’ll use in order to connect the Apple TV to your TV. Turn on your TV and enjoy!

Once the Apple TV reboots, you will see the FireCore logo. Once you see that, your device has been successfully jailbroken. Now you can proceed to installing any apps and services you want on it. Enjoy your freshly jailbroken Apple TV!

Jailbreaking Apple TV 4th generation

1. If you want to jailbreak apple tv 4th generation, you’ll first of all need to connect it to your Mac by using a USB-C cable.
2. Automatic updates should be disabled so that your Apple TV cannot be updated anymore. To do this, go to Settings, System, Software Updates.
3. Go online and look for the iOS App Signer and Pangu jailbreak tool. Download and unrar them in the same folder.
4. Open Xcode and then go to File, New, Project, tvOS, Application, Single View, and finally Next.

The following fields should be filled in exactly as you see below:

1. Product Name: Jailbreak
2. Organization: *Input your name*
3. Organization Identifier: com.jailbreak.appletv

Note:

• Do not change anything else. After you’re done, click Next and then Create.
• Click Product, Destination, and then Apple TV.

At this point you’ll need to select your Apple ID and then link it to Xcode. You can do that by going to Xcode, then Preferences and then Accounts. Click Fix issue.

Remember the Pangu files you’ve extracted in the same folder as App Signer? Well, now you have to launch the App Signer and then select the atvipa.app file by using the Browse button. You can find this file in the Payload folder. While you’re still in the App Signer, click on the Certificate and Provisioning Profile for the application that was created in Xcode. Next, do this:

• Save the atvipa.ipa file on your desktop.
• Launch Xcode and then navigate to Window, Devices and then click on your Apple TV.
• Under installed apps, be sure to click on the “+” and then select the atvipa.ipa.

At this point the jailbreak tool is being deployed and once your home screen changes to that of Pangu, you’re good to go. One last step though is to launch the app to complete the jailbreaking process.

Congratulations! You’ve just jailbroken your Apple TV!

The post Should I jailbreak my Apple TV and How? appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

We previously posted an article detailing all that’s new in the tvOS 10.0.1 betas. The first beta was released on September 21st. Now, regular Apple TV 4 users can finally download and install the software to see what’s new.

This is the first minor update for the 4th gen Apple TV since the release of tvOS 10 last month. As this is a minor software release, you will not find any features as such.

The Single sign-on feature is also not included in this update. That feature, is probably going to be available in tvOS 10.1.

tvOS 10.0.1

The latest software update for the Apple TV includes several bug fixes and improvements. Bugs and issues that were discovered in tvOS 10 have most likely been patched in this update. Apple also mentioned that the update brings some security improvements.

Updating your Apple TV to the latest software is easy. If you haven’t already enabled automatic software updates, then here’s how to do it manually.

Open the Settings app, then head to System>Software Updates>Update Software. Wait for the update to show up, then follow the instructions. Your Apple TV will reboot two times, after which, you’ll be greeted with a What’s New message.

As this is a minor update, you will not find a lot of information on the What’s New screen. Also, most likely, you won’t even have to check for the update manually. By default, the automatic software updates is enabled and your Apple TV will do the needful automatically.

In case you don’t want the Apple TV to update software automatically, then head over to System>Software Updates in the Settings app. Here, turn off ‘Automatic Update‘ and you should be good to go.

The tvOS 10.0.1 update is only available for the latest 4th generation Apple TV. Have you updated yet?

The post Apple Releases tvOS 10.0.1 Update for Apple TV 4 appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Apple recently released the public version of tvOS 10 for Apple TV 4 as promised and it includes some new and useful features. Here’s how to install tvOS 10 on your Apple TV.

tvOS 10 is only available for the fourth generation Apple TV, which is going to be disappointing for some. If you own an older Apple TV, it’s best you upgrade or continue using tvOS 9.2 for now.

The latest update includes several new features, improvements and bug fixes. Prior to releasing the software update, Apple released the new Apple TV Remote App. The app lets you control your TV using your iPhone as the remote. You can use your iPhone as a game controller as well.

The most important new feature in tvOS 10 is the ability to use Siri to control your Apple TV. You can launch apps, channels, search for videos and a lot more. With the new Siri Remote included in the Apple TV 4, it is super easy to search for a movie or a TV Show.

Apple has also included a new Dark Mode, which makes the background go dark and makes the movie/music posters and photos pop. There’s a new Single sign-on feature that lets you launch apps such as FXNow and HBO GO by using your credentials only for the first time. After that, it’ll automatically sign in.

Other changes with the update includes a new interface for Apple Music, which makes it easy to find music. tvOS 10 supports  HomeKit, allowing you to dim lights, lower temperature and control other HomeKit connected devices right from your Apple TV. There’s a new Memories section in iCloud Photos, which will show you new photos and videos that you haven’t looked at or forgotten about.

How to Install tvOS 10 on Apple TV 4

It’s quite easy to install the latest tvOS update on your Apple TV. If you own the latest 4th generation Apple TV and have automatic software updates enabled, then the update will be installed on its own.

If you haven’t enabled automatic updates, then you’ll need to download tvOS 10 manually. Here’s how to do it;

• Turn on Apple TV, open Settings and navigate to System.
• Now select Software Updates under Maintenance.
• Next, click on Update Software and select Download and Install when asked.
• Once the download is done, click on Update Now.

That’s about it. Wait for the update to finish and your Apple TV to reboot. You’ll now be on the latest software available for the Apple TV 4.

Let us know how you like the latest tvOS 10 software and what’s your favorite feature. 

The post tvOS 10 Now Available for Apple TV: How to Install appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

As of now, the latest version of tvOS available for the Apple TV is version 9.2.2. It was released late last month and includes several bug fixes and general performance improvements.

The latest beta for tvOS 10 doesn’t bring anything new to the table. If you’ve already got the previous beta running on your Apple TV, then you can simply update to the latest one. The tvOS 10 software is only available for the fourth generation Apple TV. Older gen Apple TV’s will have to be happy with the tvOS 9 software update.

tvOS 10 brings plenty of new features to the 4th gen Apple TV. Some of the main new features in tvOS 10 include, improved Siri capabilites, a Dark Mode, Single sign-on for cable Apps, and much more. There’s a new Apple TV Remote app as well, which was recently released to the public and works with tvOS 9.2.2.

It’s not an easy task to install the tvOS 10 beta on your Apple TV. First, you’ll have to connect your Apple TV to the computer. Then you’ll have to download the required software and use iTunes or Apple Configurator to install it on your Apple TV. After that’s done and the beta profile is installed, you can download the beta using the OTA feature. Here onwards, all the betas will be delivered to you over the air.

The new betas don’t really have any significant changes other than under-the-hood improvements. Mostly, Apple just listens to the feedback provided by the developers and fine tunes the software. In the tvOS 10 beta 5, there’s nothing that’s noteworthy.

Apple will release the final tvOS 10 update, which will be available for the public, in September.

The post tvOS 10 Beta 5 Released for Apple Developers appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

After two months of testing and feedback from registered developers, Apple has finally released the final version of tvOS 9.2.2 for the Apple TV 4th generation. If you’ve got the ATV4, then you’ll want to download the latest update right away.

The tvOS 9.2.2 update is only a minor update, as in it only features some bug fixes and improvements. This is the second minor update following the release of tvOS 9.2 almost four months ago. Apple included plenty of new features and improvements on the tvOS 9.2 update.

You can download the latest tvOS 9.2.2 update by turning on your Apple TV and heading over to System>Software Update. The latest update will be automatically installed if you have enabled automatic software updates on your set top box.

The update focuses on resolving bugs that were discovered in tvOS 9.2.1, some security enhancements and performance improvements throughout the system. Remember, this update is only for the latest Apple TV 4th gen.

This is most likely the last software update that the Apple TV 4 will receive before being updated to tvOS 10. Apple is currently beta testing tvOS 10 and it includes several new features. You get an overall improved Siri search, single sign-on for cable, game controller support, Dark Mode, redesigned Remote app, automatic downloads for apps, and more .

Apple will release the final public version of tvOS 10 alongside the launch of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus/Pro in September this year. Until then, you will have to enjoy tvOS 9.2.2. You can read about the security content of the latest update over here.

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Apple today released the final version of tvOS 9.2.1 for the 4th generation Apple TV. The update includes general performance and stability improvements. No new features were added in this release.

You can update your Apple TV by going to Settings > System > Software Updates > Update Software.

It is highly expected that Apple will unveil the next-generation operating system for the new Apple TV at this year’s WWDC that will be held between June 13-17 in San Francisco.

Back in March Apple released tvOS 9.2 software update for Apple TV 4, a major update that brought folders for grouping apps on the home screen, support for Bluetooth keyboards, new Siri languages and an updated app switcher UI to the new Apple TV.

Learn more about the new features in tvOS 9.2.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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Apple has just released a minor software update for Apple TV 3. According to the official release note, Apple TV Software Update 7.2.1 only includes “general performance and stability improvements.” However, Apple also posted a security document listing a whole bunch of security fixes included in the new firmware.

If you don’t have automatic updates turned on, go to Settings -> Software Update and select “Download and Install” to apply for the update.

Back in January Apple released the first beta of tvOS 9.2 for Apple TV 4 that adds Podcasts app, support for Bluetooth keyboards, folders for grouping apps, new Siri languages and a new app switcher. The final version of tvOS 9.2 is expected to be released  in March.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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Apple today released tvOS 9.1.1 software update for the 4th genaration Apple TV. Apart from the usual bug fixes and security improvements, the new firmware includes the Podcasts app that first appeared in tvOS 9.2 beta.

Here’s the official list of changes:

• A fix for unexpected password prompts when downloading apps when restrictions are set – A UIKit bug fix for color display
• Security improvements
• Podcasts app for tvOS

You can update your Apple TV by going to Settings > System > Software Updates > Update Software.

Two weeks ago Apple seeded the first beta of tvOS 9.2, a major update for the tvOS operating system. It includes support for Bluetooth keyboards, folders for grouping apps, new Siri languages and a new app switcher UI.

Learn more about tvOS 9.2.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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